Oddfellows Playhouse Fall Classes 2022!!!

Registration is now open for Fall Classes at Oddfellows Playhouse Youth Theater located at 128 Washington Street in Middletown! Beginning September 17th, classes in theater, dance, circus, music and visual art will be offered for ages 3 - 20. Teenagers are invited to audition for our fall mainstage production.

Teen Repertory Company (ages 14 - 20) will hold auditions for Journey to the West on September 12th & 15th, from 6:30 - 9 pm. Teens are asked to pre-register for one of the two audition evenings, to arrive on time, and plan to stay for the entire time. Everyone who auditions and commits to the rehearsal and production schedule will be cast in the show. Regular rehearsals will be Mondays and Thursdays, 6 - 9 pm. Performances will be November 10th - 12th & 18th - 19th.

Circophony Teen Circus (ages 12 - 20) offers fall circus training in preparation for a winter mainstage production. Acro Focus! will be held on Tuesdays evenings 6:30 - 8:30pm and Juggling+ on Wednesday evenings 6:30 - 8:30pm, culminating in a Fall Circus Showcase on December 2nd. Students may register for one or both classes! No previous experience is required. Classes run September 20th - November 30th (10 weeks.)

For our youngest Oddfellows, Saturday Classes feature Circrobatics (ages 3 - 5 and 6 - 8) combining circus, acrobatics and creative movement. Other classes include Faerie Tale Theater (for ages 3 - 5) as well as Circro-Balance (ages 6 - 8) with a focus on stilting, unicycling, rolling globe, tight rope, and spool. Classes start September 17th and continue through November 19th (10 weeks.)

Musical Mentoring, which offers students one-on-one music lessons with Wesleyan Music students, will be held on Saturdays this fall for students ages 6 - 8 and 9 - 11. Classes will be held October 1st - November 19th (8 weeks.)

Technical Theater & Design (ages 14 - 20) will be held on Sundays, 4 - 6 pm, September 25th - October 30th (6 classes & Practicum).

This year, the Fall after-school program will be split into two 6-week sessions. Session one runs September 19th - October 27th, culminating in a Share Day on Friday, October 28th. Session two runs October 31st - December 8th, with Share Day on Saturday, December 10th.

Stage One classes for ages 6 - 8 include Circus I, Visual Expressions, Creative Movement, Fairy Tale Theater, and Hip Hop Dance, Musical Theater (ages 6 - 11).

Stage Two classes for ages 9 - 11 include Circus II, Whole Body Acting, Culture Tuesdays, Into the Story, Theater Improv, Watercolor Painting, Afro-Caribbean Dance, Musical Theater (ages 6 - 11,) Hip Hop Dance (ages 9-14,) and a Mini Production of James and the Giant Peach (ages 9 - 14.)

Stage Three classes for ages 12 - 14 include Clowning and Physical Comedy, Scene Study, and Hip Hop Dance (ages 9 - 14,) Musical Theater, Advanced Acting: Michael Chekhov Technique, and a Mini-Production of James and the Giant Peach.

Most after-school classes run from 4:45 - 5:45 pm, though the Stage Three classes and James and the Giant Peach Mini-Production run a bit longer. Middletown Public School students may complement their class experience with Oddbridge, an extended day program which provides transport from Middletown schools to the Playhouse, a snack, and supervised arts activities, games and homework help before classes start. This year Oddbridge will extend throughout the school year, providing special programs and field trips on early dismissal days or days when regular Oddfellows’ classes are not in session.

For more details on times, tuition and class descriptions, please go to www.oddfellows.org. If you have specific questions, email info@oddfellows.org or call (860) 347-6143. Financial Aid is available for all programs. It is Playhouse policy that the arts should be available to every young person regardless of ability to pay - no one is turned away for lack of funds.

Oddfellows Playhouse, founded in 1975, is Connecticut’s oldest and largest performing arts program for young people. Oddfellows programs are made possible with support from the Middletown Commission on the Arts; Connecticut Office of the Arts/DECD; City of Middletown; The Fund for Greater Hartford; American Savings Foundation; State of Connecticut Judicial Branch (Youth Violence Prevention); Middletown Youth Services Bureau; Community Foundation of Middlesex County; Middletown Health Department; Maximilian E. & Marion O. Hoffman Foundation; Thomas J. Atkins Memorial Trust Fund; Middlesex United Way; CHEFA Cultural Relief Grant; New England Foundation for the Arts/New England Arts Resilience Fund; George & Grace Long Foundation; and many generous individual donors.

Photo attached by Bill De Kine of Teen Repertory Company 2021 production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Oddfellows Playhouse Presents Special Guest Performance "meSSeS"

Middletown, CT: Oddfellows Playhouse Youth Theater in Middletown will be presenting a special guest performer Janoah Bailin and his one-man show “meSSeS” taking place July 9th and 10th.

“meSSeS”, created by Mr. Bailin, is a unique experience which combines learning, entertainment, and teamwork. The performance will feature acts of juggling, unicycling, puppetry, and dance, while giving the audience the option to learn to juggle as they watch. The combination of silliness and meaning makes this performance enjoyable for all ages. 

The performances, which are open to the public, will take place on Saturday, July 9th at 7pm and on Sunday, July 10th at 3pm in the theater at Oddfellows Playhouse. 

Community organizations and presenters are enthusiastic about this production. Ian Bannon who is Executive Director of Mayo Street Arts says, “ Each time the house lights came up for another scarf juggling lesson, the audience progressively engaged more with each other, strayed and intermingled further from their seats, and reveled in the collective chaos of hundreds of floating scarves.”

Tickets for “meSSes” are $8 for adults, $5 for kids, and $15 for Big-Hearted Oddfellow, and may be purchased at https://oddfellowsplayhouse.ticketleap.com/messes/dates.

“meSSeS” is funded in part by the New England States Touring program of the New England Foundation for the Arts, made possible with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts Regional Touring Program and the six New England state arts agencies. Additional support is provided by the City of Middletown and the Middletown Commission on the Arts.

Oddfellows Playhouse, founded in 1975, is Connecticut’s oldest and largest theater for young people. The Playhouse is located at 128 Washington Street in Middletown. For information about this production and other Playhouse programs, call (860) 347-6143, email info@oddfellows.org, or go to www.oddfellows.org.

 

Back by Popular Demand 2 Additional Circophony Performances at Oddfellows Playhouse

Back by POPULAR DEMAND, Alice in Wonderland goes to the Circus in a fast-paced, all ages 45 minute show presented by the talented teen performers of Circophony.

Two additional showings of "Circus in Wonderland" will be performed

Friday, February 21 at 7:00 pm
Saturday, February 22 at 2 pm

At Oddfellows Playhouse
128 Washington Street
Middletown

Tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for children.

Circophony is a collaboration between Oddfellows Playhouse Youth Theater and ARTFARM. The company, directed by ARTFARM co-founder Dic Wheeler (also the creator and long-time director of the Children's Circus of Middletown), is made up of eight circus performers between the ages of 12 and 17.

"Circus in Wonderland" explores the magical world of Alice in Wonderland through the joy and spectacle of circus. Alice is plunged into a world in which the Mad Hatter, Queen of Hearts, White Rabbit and other iconic characters juggle, stilt, unicycle, clown and perform stunning feats of acrobatics. It's Alice in Wonderland like you've never seen it before! Bring your kids! Bring your parents! This show has something for everyone.

For more information about the show, which is available for touring through May, 2014, contact ARTFARM at info@art-farm.org.
For tickets please contact Bessie at Oddfellows Playhouse, (860) 347-6143

Additional Circophony Performances due to Popular Demand!

Back by Popular Demand we are adding two ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCES of CIRCOPHONY'S Circus in Wonderland!!


Alice in Wonderland goes to the Circus in this fast-paced, all ages 45 minute show presented by the talented teen performers of Circophony."Circus in Wonderland" will be performed

Friday Feb 21, 2014 at 7:00pm
Saturday Feb 22, 2014 at 2:00pm

at Oddfellows Playhouse
128 Washington Street
Middletown, CT 

Tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for children.

Circophony is a collaboration between Oddfellows Playhouse Youth Theater and ARTFARM. The company, directed by ARTFARM co-founder Dic Wheeler (also the creator and long-time director of the Children's Circus of Middletown), is made up of eight circus performers between the ages of 12 and 17.

"Circus in Wonderland" explores the magical world of Alice in Wonderland through the joy and spectacle of circus. Alice is plunged into a world in which the Mad Hatter, Queen of Hearts, White Rabbit and other iconic characters juggle, stilt, unicycle, clown and perform stunning feats of acrobatics.
It's Alice in Wonderland like you've never seen it before! Bring your kids! Bring your parents! This show has something for everyone.For more information about the show, which is available for touring through May, 2014, contact ARTFARM at info@art-farm.org.

Buy your tickets HERE

Youth Circus holds Auditions for Circus in Wonderland

Oddfellows Playhouse and ARTFARM announce auditions for the 2013-14 cast of Circophony, a touring youth circus company co-sponsored by the two Middletown-based theater groups. Young people ages twelve to eighteen are invited to audition to join the cast of this year’s show, Circus in Wonderland.

Auditions will be held Tuesday, September 10, 6 – 8 pm at Oddfellows Playhouse at 128 Washington Street in Middletown.
 
Circophony is a select youth circus company committed to providing first class training to aspiring circus artists while creating exciting new performances which will tour to schools, clubs, fairs, corporate events and festivals. Young people selected for the Company will receive a rigorous combination of circus training, physical conditioning and rehearsal/production experience. Members are expected to arrive punctually, attend all rehearsals and performances, work hard, be strong team players, and train independently outside of rehearsals.
 
Circophony is open to young people ages twelve to eighteen. Prior circus experience is not required. If you do not have circus experience, a background in dance, gymnastics, theater, cheerleading, parkour, hooping, magic or serious physical activity is helpful. The show is directed by ARTFARM’s Executive Director Dic Wheeler, who has been performing, directing and teaching circus in the United States and Europe for thirty years. Dic is the founder of the Children’s Circus of Middletown and ARTFARM’s Circus for a Fragile Planet, and is a charter member of the American Youth Circus Organization. Lead Trainer is circus performer and teacher Allison McDermott, an acrobat, aerialist, and graduate of the Professional Track Program at the New England Center for Circus Arts in Vermont.
 
Rehearsals will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6 – 9 pm at Oddfellows starting Tuesday, September 17.  Attendance at rehearsals is compulsory – if you cannot commit to the rehearsal schedule you should not apply to join Circophony.

The opening of this year’s show will be January 17 & 18 at Oddfellows Playhouse. There will be rehearsals every evening January 13 – 16. Circophony’s Circus in Wonderland will be an original, main stage circus production loosely based on the characters and scenes from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, incorporating juggling, acrobatics, balancing, clowning, physical comedy and other skills developed by the company members.

The show will be available for touring throughout the school year, and Circophony members will be expected to be available for touring performances between January and May. Performers and their parents will be given adequate notice about show times and dates. We may also travel to regional youth circus festivals during the year.

Tuition for Circophony, which includes over thirty rehearsals plus the performances and tour, is $250. Some financial assistance is available.

To register for the audition, or if you have questions, email info@art-farm.org or call (860)346-4390